With a pair of Teslas on display outside the University of Oregon White Stag Block and a stellar lineup of speakers and panelists within, the debut of the student-organized SPRNG (Sustainable Practices Raising Net Growth) conference made quite a splash this May.

The brainchild of undergraduates Garrett Dunlavey and Ryan Seo, the event was run by members of UO Net Impact Undergraduate. (Dunleavy and Seo founded this offshoot of the Lundquist College's graduate-student-focused Net Impact chapter in early 2012.)

"SPRNG's initial goal is to make significant progress and collaboration among various industries and sectors. This is so we can create a much larger impact towards our goal of fueling change with the power of business," Seo said in an article in Sustainable Business Oregon.

The event kicked off with a speech from UO president emeritus Dave Frohnmayer. Next, Lundquist College Career Service's MBA Advisor Sally Bell moderated a panel discussion on sustainable growth strategies and philosophies.

Wrapping up the event was keynote speaker Mark Edlen '75, MBA '76, who shared insights drawn from his experience as CEO and cofounder of Gerding Edlen, one of the top sustainable properties developers in the United States.

And what about those two Teslas? They were part of an in-kind sponsorship provided by the green motor company. "A week or so before the event, I received an email from the Tesla location in Washington Square. They had heard of the conference and were very interested in being a part of it," recalled Dunlavey.

A great start for Dunlavey and Seo, whose goal is for the conference to become an annual event.